Germany’s decision to phase out nuclear power by 2022 in the wake of the Japanese Fukushima disaster in March, will have huge implications for the country’s energy security, which will in turn be felt across Europe in the coming years. The way in which Germany chooses to replace the nuclear electricity lost will be closely watched for its impact on neighbouring countries.

However, accurately estimating the gap that may occur over the next few months and years between Germany’s power demand and